So Cold
by AnimeGirlKairi
Summary: I-I thought it was the end for me, but no. I thought, you know, me being dead was what everyone wanted - that's what I wanted, off and on, at least. But it seems they don't want me dead, yet, I guess. Apparently my, uh, suffering has only begun...and She's going to see it through. Ugh, what a bloody mess this is...
1. Oh, it's you

"H-how long have we been here? I mean not _here_ per say but I mean-"

"Spaaace…babupbaba..."

Even with its speakers frozen and its voice seeming to be cracked, the space core still held its chirpy enthusiasm about the universe here. Well actually _all around us _is the best way to put it but…

We didn't know how long we were here, up in space that is. We've, uh, circulated the moon for some time now and uh, well, that's the gist of it. I can feel it, - well not necessarily _feel _it but more like _sense_ it from my sensors programmed in me - the cold seeping into my system. It's so _cold_, I-I never actually expected space to be so cold, so bloody cold. It, it, it's damaging my processors and my many functions, like my lens - they've been frozen stuck multiple times and it took all of the strength that wasn't seeped from the cold to, uh, _un_stuck them.

Space, over there, is being affected too. From the constant, uh, yelling and constant exposure to its speakers, the cold damaged it greatly. If I had to guess, which I'm kind of horrible at, - to be honest - it's at least half its usual volume and its many pitches are irregular, and constant static eroded its...well, voice.

Is this it? Is this it for us?

I don't know how long we have before our motherboards are completely frozen and we won't…well...

This cycle has been going on, you see, we kind of orbit around the moon - just like the moon orbits the Earth - and when we enter, not exactly _enter _but...face the dark side of the moon it gets so..._cold_. I've _never _in my life...well ever since I've been activated, felt so much pain, - well maybe not pain but - you know what I mean right?

Oh bloody hell, _who _am I actually talking to right now? God? I doubt it, even if he does exist.

Well I guess it doesn't hurt to speak what I feel, or maybe it does. I don't know anymore.

But...once we see the light hidden behind the darkness of the moon, it feels so much better. But some of the ice on my lens still remain, the warm light wasn't enough, and sooner or later we will be completely frozen and...well..._dead_.

I wonder what android hell is like…

"Spaaa*fizzz*aaaccceee."

"No, no mate. Keep those speakers out of the cold. You'll, you'll live longer…"

"Spaa*fizz*aaaa*fizz*aaccce."

Even with my warning, it continued to yell. It continued to scream out its happiness, the tremendous joy that it feels just being here, in space. Even if it was going to kill it. And me.

I had to keep blinking as it continued to sing out its joy, I w-wanted to keep my lens close and try to ignore the fact that my supposed only friend here was...but I knew I couldn't, my lens would get stuck and I'd just waste my precious time trying to get them unstuck.

"Please, please stop." I begged quietly.

It wasn't because of my speakers or the cold that made them call out silently, it was...some kind of tug in the mainframe that made me do it. To me it was just more pain, but it was inside my thought processor. Is this the work of the cold too?

"Spa*fizz*aaa*fizz*accc*cough**screech*..."

Those noises, oh gosh those noises, it left me broken in my hearing sensors...not literally, they still remained functional. But that tug came back and it..._hurt_...ah it hurt so much! Just what is it that makes _feel_ this way?!

I hesitantly turned my core and stared intently at the other...its lens completely closed.

"Space?" I called softly.

"..."

There was no response, not even a flutter from its lens. Was its lens stuck too?

"C'mon mate. You, you gotta work at it. Just, just try to open your lens." I supported.

There was still no response.

"Can you not do it? Is that it? Too weak and tired?" I asked worriedly.

The silence was - how did those smelly humans put it? - deafening and unsettling. Space continued to remain unresponsive, not even a 'lil twitch to indicate it was...no, it can't be, oh gosh no.

"Space? Space, mate, wake up! C'mon...no, n-no don't do this to me mate! You, you need to keep those gears turning for goodness sake! Space! Space! Spaaaaccccee*fizz*-"

Oh gosh, bloody hell no. What a fool I was, why did I do that? I'm just letting t-the cold in and...who am I kidding? I'm a _moron_, just like She said.

I...I was designed to be a moron.

I betrayed my friend, my only friend, and just, just screwed up everything. The facility was in shambles and I couldn't do squat to fix it. I-In fact, my uh so-called 'solutions' made everything worse.

I'm...such a bloody _idiot_.

I haven't realized it, that is until I noticed the light fading out. I turned my core to find that I was about to enter the dark side of the moon, again. Instantaneously, I could feel the cold rupture my functions once more but this time it left much more devastating effects. I could hear my processors whir very loudly as i-it tried its hardest to fight back the cold. Frost cascaded my lens and I could feel everything slow down…

"T-this i-is it *fizz*. This is it...f-...m-…"

The speakers were squandering now to to even make a faint sound now as I could feel my main processor slowly cease to work, the frost halting its function.

Is this what _dying _feels like?

I closed my lens, knowing that, that I'm not going to make it and just thought...about that question...that is, until...my processor ceased completely…

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"**Startup initiating. Please wait." **

Huh? What is this? What's going? Wasn't I just dead?

Words appeared on my screen along with a blinking light at the end of that sentence. Everything else was black, really, really black. Am I off? As if answering my question, the sentences disappeared and my screen flashed green for minute and my 'sight' was regained.

"**Startup complete. Now analyzing renovated data.**"

What was that voice? Well, I don't care about that right now, just where the bloody hell am I?

I found myself staring down at what appeared to be a gray floor, but barely suspended above it with...something. It almost reminded of when…

Oh no, is this place what I think it is? Oh I hope not please, please I don't want to see Her-

"Well, well. It looks like you finally woke up." A _very _familiar voice stated amusingly.

No. No, no, oh bloody hell no!

I felt myself being lifted upwards from whatever I was dangling from and it turned me to face..._Her_. There She was, in that monstrous chassis of Hers, staring at me with Her threatening yellow optic in all its _glory_. I could feel my optic shrink back to a 'lil dot as I stared at that monstrosity, but the silence between us is what made me shiver in fear.

"Uh...'ello." I greeted uncomfortably. "How're uh...doing? Good? Good, that's uh good."

She cocked Her chassis to the side as She brought me closer to Her. A small pitiful laugh escaped Her hidden speakers as I felt whatever had me in its grasp pull me over to something circular on the ground. I, uh, couldn't recognize it, with it being shut and all but something did spark inside of me, as if trying to tell me something - to uh remind me of something important.

"It has been a _long _time, Intelligence Dampening Sphere." GLaDOS stated in that amusing voice of Hers. "How have you been?"

"Uh good, good. You know, uh, just spending some time in that space in...space." I replied shakily.

"Oh really?" She asks, acting bemusedly. "Because the way I see it you were about to enter Android Hell."

After She uttered those unsettling words - Android Hell - the circular function below me opened up and revealed a straight way down to...well I don't know, all I know is that a faint red light was at the very bottom. My core shook even more upon being suspended over that, oh gosh I do _not _want to fall. I-I do _not_ want to fall!

"W-well, I-I'll admit I was...uh...having some issues with the temperature in space but uh…"

"You don't have to act so..._professional_. We both know that you were...well, in my body for some time, I guess we're equals now right?" She asked with a hint of disdain.

"Uh right?" I answered hopefully, feeling my optic return to normal as I turned and gazed at that yellow optic of Hers.

"No."

My optic shrunk back into that 'lil speck again and stared back down at the 'lil red light at the bottom in regret of answering that question.

Then I felt something shift and found myself being slowly lowered towards that circular mechanism. I shook violently in defiance, hoping that I would somehow escape the grip of whatever was holding me.

"W-wait! Wait!" I yelled, my speaker sputtering anything, _anything_, that can get me out of this mess. "W-why?! Why bring me back and fix me so I can just be lowered down to some bloody incinerator?! Hmm? Are you so damn stupid that you, would uh waste your time on me instead of doing that Science you love so much?!" I don't even know what I'm saying anymore, my processor is working too fast for me to even compensate what and where I was going with this, so I just closed my lens tightly and wished that none of this was real. "Well, you, you, you're just a bloody _moron_! And you're calling _me _a moron when you're the biggest moron between us two!"

The movement stopped and I slowly opened my lens, just to confirm, uh, my suspicion and sure enough I stopped moving. I slowly turned my attention towards the unmoving central core who just stared at me with that, that unsettling optic of Hers.

"Is that all? Are you done?" She asked.

"Uh...what?" I said softly.

Her chassis sunk but Her sharp gaze never left mine. "Well aren't you being bold."

Instantaneously, whatever gripped me let go and hurled me towards that opening in the circular mechanism. I yelled, I screamed, I was _terrified_. Was this _really _the end? Not counting the time in space but...but before I passed through the opening, the circular mechanism closed completely. I bounced off the lid and landed on the floor, feeling myself roll a little from the momentum. Everything hurt from the impact but the only thing in my mind processor was about what had just happened. Why didn't She just let me fall?

So that's what I planned on asking Her about. "W-why?"

I used my handles to lift myself upwards so I could look at Her, optic to optic, but once I did so I ended up being on my back, considering She was just so...bloody massive.

She turned away from me and let out a noise that I assumed to be an annoyed sigh. "Do you honestly think I'll just _kill _you like that?"

Really? To be honest though I wanted to say 'yes I did', but I didn't want a repeat of the last time I answered Her question. So I kept quiet - which was kind of hard to do - and continued listening.

"Oh no." She continued, Her voice turning more sadistic. "You deserve _much worse_ than death."

Oh. Oh, bloody hell.

"W-what're you gonna do to me?" I asked quietly, fear etched into my voice.

She turned back to face me, that optic glowing even more brighter than before in what seemed to be satisfaction. "Oh, you'll see."

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"**Startup initiating. Please wait."**

"Oh bloody hell, it feels like my core is splitting open...what happened?"

"**Startup complete. Now analyzing renovated data."**

"Just dandy, this again. How long was I out?"

I opened my lens and found myself staring at the floor, dangling once again just like before, except I heard chains rattle upon the reaction of my movements.

But that wasn't all that I heard.

"**Ooooooooaaaaaggggghhhh..."**

"**Rrraaaaaahhhhhhgggghh..."**

"**Uuuuuugggggggghhhh…"**

Startled, I scanned the room to find other cores tied to different chains, their optics blood red and moving in absurd and strange patterns.

"Wha-where am I?!"

"_The screaming robot room." _A voice on the intercom explained. "_You should feel honored, I made this_ room..._just for you_."

"**Raaaaaaaaagghhhh…"**

"**Ooooaaaaaggggghhh…"**

"I could barely make out Her voice in that little speaker up there, but it did not matter whether or not it was barely audible or not, the message to me was...absolutely _terrifying_. This _place _is _terrifying_! Just, just how long am I supposed to be here? F-forever? N-no, no Wheatley don't think like that. Just, just focus on something else that is - you know - positive; rainbows, sunshine, the moon, the colorful cosmos in space-

"…

"B-bloody...hell...I-I almost forgot about that...No! Wheatley he was just uh, just in sleep mode, yeah, taking a short nap...not responding to anything I had to say.

"Choose something else! Choose something else, don't think about that Wheatley!"

I tightly closed my lens and tried to uh, calm myself down a little...but the screaming robots were not helping.

"**Ooooaaaaagggghhh..."**

"**Rrrrreeeeeeerrrrgggghhh…"**

"Oh how I wish they would just shut up and be...you know, _sane_.

"Okay Wheatley, think of something else, think of something else…"

…

…

_It looks like you finally woke up. _"That's right, I-I was shut off...no that's not right. No, I was in space with my mate, well Space, and it was shortly after my mate wouldn't respond that I-...died. No that can't be right, if I died then how am I still alive? And how did I even _get back here_?!

"Was everything; me meeting that smelly human, guiding her through the chambers, accidently turning Her on, me temporarily being in control of the whole facility, me being thrown into space...was that all...some kind of weird simulation?

"I guess...in a human's way of thinking...some kind of odd _dream_. I laughed at that, _me _having a _dream_? Ha ha, uh, not possible. Definitely not possible. Besides, even if it all was some kind of delirious simulation, why am I being punished? Me? The _intelligence dampening core_? Granted, I-I made GLaDOS unhappy when I was hooked up to Her, but, but that wasn't _my _fault, it was those bloody, smelly humans that did it. And now they're all dead, well, the scientists. But I think I heard about one of the scientists being able to survive that incident but…

"No, no, get back on track! Okay, okay, why was I here? Or more accurately, how did I get here? Yes that's the one, okay, okay...think...think Wheatley think…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I don't think that idiot has any idea that he's speaking out loud." I commented amusedly, watching the surveillance screen showing the little moron talk to himself.

"_Think think think think! C'mon chap! Use that processor of yours!" _The blue core on screen spoke in a sort of encouraging way.

"_**Gggrrrrraaaaagh…"**_

"_Shut up! I'm TRYING to think!" _The little idiot bellowed in an annoyed tone.

"If he _can_…" I added.

Even though the fool wasn't necessarily doing anything, he kept me quite entertained. He just continued to ramble, and ramble, and ramble…

"I don't have time for this. There are tests to be done." I muttered in dissatisfaction.

I was about to turn away from the screen to look at the other one that showed the progress of the 'test bots', Blue and Orange, when something he says stops me.

"_I'm thinking but...I can't understand why I'm being punished for, for something I didn't really want!"_

I froze for a moment, as if allowing those words to process completely when in actuality I immediately knew what they meant.

"_Granted, I mean, I DID put Her in a potato - I know that uh, wasn't very nice - and I almost destroyed the entire facility but I didn't mean for all that! I just, I just...oh who am I fooling? I'm, I'm a horrible person, robot, core, whatever you call me! I-I betrayed my only friend, I almost killed her...I-I deserve this…"_

I slowly turned back towards the screen, him having my full attention, my standards being piqued in question.

"_But why am I here? I-I shouldn't be here, after what I have done. I deserved to freeze to death, up in space. Just-just vanish into thin air so I won't cause any more trouble. For anyone. Anymore."_

My optic dimmed slightly and zoomed in on the troubled idiot dangling helplessly from the chain.

"So he wants to know _why _he's here?" I inquired. "He wants to know _why _he's here, _why _I fixed him?"

I continued to stare at the depressed and melancholic core and my optic instantly brightened.

"Well, I guess I can lay off a day from his punishment. That should be enough, for now. I can 'worry' about him later," I stated solemnly as I turned my attention towards the testing duo on the other screen, "there is much needed testing to be done. For Science."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"How long have I been here now? Minutes? Hours? Days? Maybe, months? Perhaps, years?

"No, I'm done. I-I'm done thinking. It hurts, it hurts to just, to just think anymore. The rattles of chains, the screams of the cores' dysfunctional mentality, and those insane and agonizing patterns of their swirling eyes that just scream insanity!

"This is, this is, pretty painful." I muttered to myself. "But, I-I deserve it. Yeah, I deserve it."

"_Oh...you deserve so much more." _Her voice added in from the intercom.

"I stayed silent, not knowing what to say to that. If anything, I guess, She was right. I'm just, just a bloody horrible mate."

"_You're right, you are pretty horrible." _She answers.

"Wha-what? Did She just reply to something inside my processor?"

"_No, you're talking out loud you idiot. In fact, ever since I put you here you've just been talking non-stop. I thought it was entertaining though." _She continued.

…

…

"What? What!? I-I was pretty sure I was thinking to myself-"

"_Well you weren't, so I thought I might as well tell you now. I lost interest anyways, in fact I'm a little irritated from your constant rambling, it's getting in the way of my objectives."_

"But, but I've always did it like this, why of all times is it acting like this now?! Unless it was always like this-"

"_No, I must have forgotten to replace a certain chip in your mind processor when I was fixing you after I pulled you out of space (or maybe I knocked something loose when I hit you to knock you out - for fun). Now you're speaking out loud uncontrollably; no function to correctly control whether to speak aloud or not." _She explained.

I blinked. "Why?"

"_Why what?"_

"Why, why did you do it? Pull me out of space and fix me? Wouldn't it have been easier to just, just let me freeze to death out there-"

"_Like the space core?" _She added monotonously.

"I...I felt something...something just _snap _when She uttered those words."

"_You're doing it again. It cannot be helped then."_

I heard a noise and saw a claw of some sort surface from the ceiling of the room I was in. It yanked the chain attached to the top. The chain snapped and I instantly fell to the floor, the jumble of chains following after me. I felt the thud and felt myself become disoriented slightly. The claw grabbed me and lifted me through the ceiling into some kind of duct, it was too dark to see anything though and I didn't bother to turn on my light anyways. I was simply too worn out.

Then I was blinded by a bright light, my optic shrunk back in surprise and I closed my lens tightly, not wanting my receptors in my optic to fry out, but the claw continued down its set route and lifted me through the light.

I blinked slowly, allowing the receptors to appropriately adjust to the brightness and found myself back in Her chamber. At the moment She was looking away from me, Her attention on something on the screen on the other side of Her chamber. It looked like She was watching the testing duo try to solve a test but I couldn't really make it out very well, considering most of Her body was in the way.

She turned and immediately Her bright yellow optic stared me down. I shuddered slightly but did my best not to show it.

"Well it looks like you're not talking right now, good, I don't want to hear you ramble while I fix some things." She stated simply.

Following after that statement, She moved a panel aside and a table with a lot of menacing-looking tools appeared before Her. My optic shrunk back in terror just from the sight of it.

"Wh-what're you going to do?!" I asked in a shaky tone.

"I already told you, I'm _fixing _some things." She answered in a slightly amused tone.

"_Things?! _W-what things? I-I hope its something else o-other than me!" I replied uncomfortably.

"Well let me put it this way then. There is a 99.999% chance that it's involved with you." She continued in that tone of Hers.

"Oh now She's just playing with me here!"

"I see it's still a problem. Well then, let's begin."

"But I didn't- oh dear. I did it again didn't I?" I muttered.

The claw brought me closer to her as a panel rose up until it was parallel to her optic. The claw that gripped me placed me on the floor of the panel, my optic facing its white, grayish coloration. I felt something open on my back and I instantly jumped in surprise.

"Don't move." She commanded.

"Wh-what are you going to, to do?" I asked, my tone a little louder than I expected it to be.

She paused for a moment, allowing Her other appendages attached to Her grab the needed tools for...for something I honestly don't really want to know or think about.

"I guess the appropriate term is 'corrective surgery'."

"Oh gosh no."

"Quiet." She demanded curtly.

I shook, I couldn't help it but, but I shook. Uncontrollably actually. I-I just couldn't stop no matter how many times I scolded myself to, to stop - all so I couldn't hear _Her_ scold _me_.

Another claw rained down on me harshly and pressed me against the panel, I squealed in surprise, but it got the job done though. I stopped shaking, and now I was helplessly waiting for-for everything to just be, be over and done. But that feeling of terror never left my system.

Almost immediately, I felt something twinge and a pulling sensation. It, it didn't _hurt _per se but it felt _really _uncomfortable. I squeezed my lens shut and just, just prayed to some invisible higher-being - if something like that was out there - that this will be over really soon.

"Well you don't need this." She murmured as the pulling sensation tightened greatly until I heard a faint *snap* along with a rush of pain in that area. I squeezed my lens even tighter, as if that'll help relinquish the pain. "Or this." Another sensation of something snapping off, and a whole 'nother wave of pain ran through that area. I could hear a faint whimper-like noise escape me, but really, at the time, I couldn't help it. It hurt like a bugger!

"I could barely hear something after my little whine, I couldn't really make out what it was but-"

The claw instantly clamped against me vigorously and I let out a choked gasp. "Quiet." She demanded quietly.

"S-sorry." I squeaked. "But what was that noise? You know, the one after I- uuh!"

That claw gripped me even tighter, I didn't even think it could go any tighter without crushing me! But oddly enough, GLaDOS answered without _any _hint of resentment, in fact it sounded like She was...snickering, if that was possible.

"I laughed." She answered.

"W-why? Why would- uh!"

Damnit that bloody claw!

"Because the sound of your suffering amuses me greatly, it was...'too _cute_'. Ha ha." She continued.

I couldn't help but open my lens slightly in suspicion, even if all I was going to see was the floor of a panel. This just doesn't seem right; GLaDOS is _fixing _me, answers my question without any opposition, and She says I sounded _cute_! Cute! Just what bloody picture is She paintin' here?!

Suddenly, I felt something get attached to me...no, more like shoved into me with a great deal of pain. I yelled and, once again, clenched my lens shut in hopes of trying to endure that unsettling pain shooting through me.

"Sorry," She stated sarcastically, "my claw slipped."

"Y-yeah, sure, whatever. I-I don't really ca- Aaah!"

The pain of Her slamming my panel closed stopped me short and left me yelling in pure agony.

"There, all done." She finished.

The claw pressuring me alleviated and went back into its designated chamber. Using my handles skillfully - I am pretty good at the way I use them, if I do say so myself - and hopped onto my back so I could glare right up at her.

"You know, from the way you're acting, I think you're, you're just toying with me!" I accused.

She shook her chassis in disappointment, or in denial, I don't know. I was fuming and wasn't really paying attention.

"Oh no, I wasn't doing _anything _of the sort." She answered, sarcasm drenching her tone.

I did my best impression of a scowl that I could muster up and continued to watch her swing slightly from the wires above. "Y-yeah that's right, I found one of your inner motives. Don't think I'm such a moron now do you?"

She paused from her faint swinging and just stared at me, as if waiting for me to explode or something...if that's what she usually thinks, anyways. I looked around the room uncomfortably and then went back to focusing back on Her expectedly.

After awhile, she turned away from me and shook Her chassis again, muttering something about an 'idiot'.

"Hey! Hey I heard that! You're talking about me aren't you?!"

She turned back around. "Who else would I be talking about? The Space sphere?"

I flinched upon hearing that mate's name but only pressed further. "Yes, yes that's a possibility-"

"That core is dead." She stated bluntly.

I could feel my optic shrink slightly. "No. No my mate is _not _dead, I assure you."

"Oh really now?"

I heard something opening and saw that another panel behind her opened and another claw emerged from it, holding something in its claw. She moved over towards it and examined it briskly before sending the claw over to me. It stopped right above the panel and dropped whatever it was it was holding.

"What, what is that? I can't, I can't see it."

Immediately, the claw lowered and picked me up and placed me back on the panel upright. As the claw left and I focused on the object before me. I gasped.

I could feel my optic shrink into a little prick at the core before me. My mate, Space.

Just like the instance before I temporarily shut off, its lens were tightly shut and gave no response whatsoever...not even its trademark 'Space' hollerin'.

"Explain to me, why is the core completely unresponsive?" She asked, acting curious.

"Space is, is just sleeping that's all. Very, very worn out, you know, being in space for so long." I explained in discomfort, my optic glued to Space's seemingly unresponsive state.

"Oh really? It says on my databank that there is...an error."

"My mate is, my mate is just sleeping, that's all." I pressed further.

"Oh no." She replied, shaking Her chassis. "If the core was 'sleeping' then my databank would read _Sleep Mode: On_. But its not, so there."

I squinted my lens in disbelief as anger boiled inside of me. "N-no! Maybe, maybe you're the one who is in error, maybe its-"

"The. Core. Is. Dead." She cut me off completely with a soft, irritated tone.

"I refuse to believe that. My mate is not dead!" I countered indignantly. "I-I can't, I just can't."

She stared at me, Her optic glowing incredulously bright and, the sounds of whirring processors increased dramatically. But I withheld my ground, I couldn't tell if She was, was annoyed or just plain amused, either way I wasn't going to have it.

But to be honest, I never actually realized how much I've cared for that space core. I guess, being alone with it in space made me feel happy and less...lonely. And now She was saying that my mate was gone. _Gone_. And every circuit in me is crying out in denial, saying none of that bloody mess was true.

What was that saying humans put it? Or is it even appropriate right now? Anyways, it feels like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"If you fixed me then why don't you fix my mate then, hm?" I inquired.

That optic of Hers seemed to brighten even more, almost blinding me, but answered nonetheless.

"The core's motherboard was completely fryed from the overly exposure to the frost. It _cannot _be repaired." She explained.

"Have you even tried-"

"_It cannot be repaired_. And yes I have tried."

I stayed silent for a minute and just, just allowed everything to sink in. But no matter how much I tried, and tried, and tried...I couldn't just accept that, that my mate was no longer here - online-wise. I stared at that core, that 'sleeping form' of space's.

I shook my core. "My mate is not gone. Its just..._not_."

"...enough…"

"No, I...?" I looked up to find myself staring at Her, whose chassis was facing the floor and...trembling? Wait, wait, _trembling_?

She shot up and just...glared at me, Her optic beyond blinding, and I could feel myself shutter from that look of Hers. "I said _enough_. I've had enough!" She bellowed.

I cringed as that yellow optic of Hers placed me in some kind of spotlight...a target for Her to lash out at.

"The core is dead! It is dead! Damaged beyond repair! Unfixable! A waste of time! It is in Android Hell right now for all I care! The core is not going to wake up, it is forever damned!"

I shrunk back, overrun with _fear_ as She jerked her optic back and forth from me to my sleeping mate across from me. And yet despite all of it, I still had the courage to continue using my vocabulator.

"'nd a...what was the point of all this…?" I asked very quietly, my volume incredibly low.

She squinted her lens and that light of Hers seemed to be burning me, maybe, it definitely felt incredibly hot and I was frozen in terror to move even an inch away.

"The point is...that you are a _moron_."

To be honest, I was expecting something else when I heard that, but She didn't stop there.

"The fact you cannot _accept _the obvious, _do _the obvious, _relinquish _the obvious." She hissed in a very low tone. "You should be grateful! Look at that core, that useless core. That could have been your fate! To be dead! Gone!"

I blinked and lowered my gaze to the floor. "But isn't that what you wanted?!" I squeaked to Her. "Me to be, uh, dead? Wasn't that the whole plan, except to, to just add some torture experiences beforehand to exact that revenge of yours?"

She pulled away from me, Her optic dimming extravagantly, and turned to face the opposite end of Her chamber. The noises of Her chassis quieted and the room was suddenly cascaded with a deafening silence.

Did-did I hit a nerve or something? I mean I know She doesn't actually _have _nerves but...but…

"No." She finally answered in a very quiet tone.

I blinked. "No? No what?"

She looked at me, ready to counter with something witty - I just know it, just like She always does - but instead she remained silent. That didn't seem much like Her usual self.

As I continued to stare at her, both bewildered and confused at what had just happened, I found myself lifting slowly into the air. I guess I was so focused on Her that I didn't notice the claw grab me. It pulled me out of Her chamber, and I was left with many more questions than answers.


	2. No Hard Feelings?

"And, uh, that's my story." I explained, slightly depressed and confused.

The core adjacent from me, his green eye staring down at me worriedly, shook his chassis in disappointment. "Poor Space." He commented in that American accent of his. "Least that poor guy died in the place it always wanted to be in, at, around - whatever way you put it."

"Yeah, yeah. I-I just can't accept that the little guy is gone. Space just..can't be gone. It doesn't seem very...logical. But-but you're right Adventure core-"

"Please, call me Rick. Adventure core is a bit overused and just plain stupid for my taste." 'Rick' interjected in that ego of his.

"Uh, right, right. You're right, Rick, 'bout the whole 'can't believe Space is gone' feelin'."

"So tell me, how did you get out of that 'screaming robot room' of Hers?" Rick inquired curiously. "Did you make one of the crazy cores explode to make a hole in a wall or…-"

"I didn't." I answered simply. "After that odd event in Her chamber, She just, She just placed me on a random management rail and that was that. Kind of, kind of odd, but a little grateful. I guess."

Rick shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, that is a bit odd of the Mrs. to do."

I nodded in agreement and silence fell over us, only the noises of whirring and slight creaking noises eroded the air as everything between us felt stiff and uncomfortable. I guess, I guess that certain topic _is _a little unsettling to think about; the central core not being its usual self I mean. Doesn't seem much, but that central core is the influence of this entire facility and if it isn't acting its usual self...well, I don't know.

"So uh, whatcha gonna do now?" Rick asked, trying to steer the topic away.

"I guess, back to supervising the, the humans in the reserved quarters." I answered, not really sure of myself.

"You mean the _dead_humans." Rick implied uncaringly.

"Yeah, yeah pretty much." I replied in a shrugging matter.

"Well I guess it beats being stuck in that cage for so long." Rick added half-heartedly.

I blinked. "You mean the corrupted core chamber?"

"I don't want to call it that." Rick interjected uncomfortably. "Because as far as I can tell, I'm 100% perfect. And gorgeous." He added that last part quietly to himself but still heard him nonetheless, I guess it beats his sad state than his ego-statistical state. "Well, I'm going to explore the facility, you know, go on a little adventure. Time to go on a journey through perilous dungeons, dangerous obstacles, evil enemies - the works."

"Good, good luck with that."

"Oh please," Rick scoffed, "I don't _need _luck."

With that he zoomed off in the opposite direction of the management rail, and I was left watching him go, not knowing what else to do. As he left, he sang a song 'danger-based' as if trying to set the mood - what an enthusiastic bugger he is! I kind of envy that, he seems much more positive than me.

I guess it can't be helped. He was programmed that way, I was programmed this way.

I gave one last glimpse in the direction he went before turning away and going in the opposite direction, towards the human test subjects' chambers. As I zoomed by, I noticed the surveillance cameras watching me...but much more in an intensive way than usual, must be my imagination or something - if I have that. I watched its gaze follow mine until I was out of shot, but then another one on the other side would watch me once I got in _its _line vision. It felt a little eerie to me. Oh well, I shouldn't be bothered by it though...after all, She was always watching me.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Well 'ello Mr. Davidson! Don't you look spot-on today!" I greeted warmly to the bleached-white skeleton lying on its bed, inside one of the millions of rooms in the area, with the exception of the name-plaque outside the door. "How long has it been now? ...Um I'd want to say maybe twenty years since you were placed in this, in this nice chamber. I might be wrong, 'bout that, but who's counting? Heh heh."

I stared at the skeleton, its mouth slightly agape, as if expecting him to reply back. I still waited anyways. "Well, gotta check on the others. It was nice to see you again, stay beautiful chap, I'll see you around!" With that, I left his room, the door sliding open just for me and, shortly afterwards, closed behind me.

Okay Wheatley, one visit has been completed, only 499,999 to go. You've got a _lot _of people to meet! Again. Well, they can't be checked on by themselves, time for me to get going. I continued down my management rail in delight, it seems like it had been ages since I did my old job, it's a bit nostalgic. I might even admit that, that I missed it a little. Kind of leaves me feelin' warm inside, the good kind of 'warm inside' - not like overheating or induced rage or something of that matter. Actually I have been feelin' a weird pressure in my core but...eh, I don't think there's anything to worry 'bout.

I stopped in front of another door, except this time the plaque that was supposed to be displayed on the entranceway was missing, but I shrugged it off - I mean this place _is _in pieces, I'm actually surprised most of the chambers' claws that held them up didn't rot off and plunge them into the darkest pits of this place.

Oh well, back to my task. Sending the instruction to the door panel, I opened the door and passed through, the door closing itself right behind me.

"'ello human, how's it goi-" I stopped and peered at the bed before me. There were outlines of a human for sure - guessing from the figure, probably a female...I think...sometimes I forget which humans have the boobs and which one has the muscled body - but, but there wasn't a human _in _it, not even the remains of one.

I guess that kind of explains the absence of the plaque on the door but still...

"I've never known there was a chamber that was...well...vacant. Last time I heard, all of, all of them were filled except for the one that didn't work at first but I _know _someone fixed it and a human was placed in it." I reasoned to myself. "So just, what the bloody hell is this?"

I looked around the room, thinking maybe the human was somewhere else other than the bed; the closet, the drawers, behind the painting, even in the gap in the floor that leads to an old fashioned cube-chamber that housed test subjects long before-

Oh. Oh. It's, it's this place, isn't it?

I felt something in my programming..._pinch _me, slightly. My handles instantly drooped in bewilderment as everything came together.

This was _her _room.

What was that smelly human's name again? Bell? Maribelle? Kjelle? Nell? ...Charlotte? Oh gosh, even when I try to think of her name I feel guilty about what I did to her. I never _ever _planned on betraying her like that. I-I lost myself. I couldn't control myself. The power running through me was too...captivating. It made me feel...happy. It gave me a new sense of self-esteem and confidence in myself. Before hand I felt like _nothing_; weak, stupid, pathetic...stupid, but being in that chassis - being in _Her _shoes (metaphorically speaking of course) - just felt so good, and reassuring.

And it ended up ruining _everything_.

"I meant what I said, back up in space." I spoke softly, cringing my lens in heartbreak. "I wish I could take it all back. I wish I could go back in time and, and stop myself from being transferred into that bloody chassis, no matter how good it felt. Oh gosh I wish this whole thing could blow away! The guilt won't go away, and I'm a robot for pete's sake, - whoever he is - robots don't have feelings!"

...Do they?

...Maybe?

...Perhaps?

...Is that the pressure I'm feelin' in my core?

Oh man it hurts. It feels like my mind processor is in a knot. "Ow...ow...ow...bloody hell it hurts…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Yes, I see you. Now please focus back on the test." I sighed, watching both Orange and Blue wave at me...fifty-six times by my calculations.

They made a chirpy noise and they exchanged a look before waving their appendages even harder. I just watched them continue doing that, hoping that their arms would fall off, but I don't think that's going to happen.

But it won't be a problem.

I watched as a spike plate appeared above them and smashed them into pieces without delay, they didn't even have time to stop what they're doing and look up. My optic glowed bright in amusement.

It didn't take long for them to come back with new bodies and portal guns, but their enthusiasm seemed to have 'disappeared' and now they were glaring daggers at the surveillance camera.

"My apologies." I stated. "It seems I have made a _miscalculation,_I was probably distracted by your waving. By the way, thanks for that, now get on with the test."

They stayed there for a few more seconds, still glaring at the camera before prodding off to finish the task at hand. Glad that they were done messing around, but also feeling a little down for not tormenting them further, I decided to check on other things while the duo continued their test.

Another screen pulled itself down and a voice echoed in the chamber. "_Central Core, what is your request?" _It asked in its monotone, robotic voice.

"A quick run of in-progress and/or complete tasks affiliated with working cores and other machinery." I answered.

"_One moment please." _

The screen flashed for a minute and pictures fazed by at an incredible speed, most of them from the surveillance tapes. It didn't take long before it stopped and focused on a particular camera.

"_This core is not in-progress or in completion of its task." _

I stared at the surveillance but all I saw was the wrecked floor of a room I'm not familiar with.

"What is the name of the core?"

"_It is known as the Intelligence-Dampening Sphere, in charge of annual check-ins on human test subjects placed in the sleep depository in the far east wing of the Aperture facility."_

"The moron." I muttered to myself. "What is he doing now?"

"_Invalid question."_

I let out an exasperated sigh-like noise. "What is the _Intelligence-Dampening Sphere _doing now?"

"_...No info on the subject."_

"Is the surveillance camera in this room broken?"

"_The camera is in need of repairs."_

"Of course it's broken." I muttered, shaking my chassis in annoyance.

There was a long pause as I tried to figure out the next course of action. It wasn't as if those humans were _alive _after all the time that has passed by now, he's only there so he won't get in my way or any of the others.

"_What are your instructions Central Core?"_

I paused for a moment before I answered a soft, "Nothing."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"-and that's why I, uh, killed your children. No hard feelings?"

"Caw!" The bird answered, followed by that feather-brain pecking me on my core.

"Ow I get it! I get it!" I whined.

I let out a sigh as I recalled the last minute or so that had just happened; I was wallowing in my despair of trying not to think, this little fellow notices me and flies in, starts shrieking at me and lands on my core (_without _my permission I might add), and rudely pecks at me, leading me into a quick explanation about what happened when I was helping the human escape… assuming it was the same bird as last time. I think that 'bout covers it.

"Caw-caw! Caw!" *peck*

"Alright! Alright! I'm sorry for murdering your children! Now leave me alone you sack of feathers!" I spat (not literally of course).

Unfortunately the bird refused to move. *Peck* And it continued to peck me some more. *Peck* And I'm even surprised it's _on _me, I mean, since I'm connected to the railing and all...unless of course it's _on _the railing and- *Peck*

"Will you quit that!" I yelled.

I shook around vigorously in hopes to get that bloody bird off of me but it seemed it didn't even faze the thing! I guess it really was on the management rail.

"That's it. That is it! I am leaving. Good day to you sir, madam, whatever gender you are."

With that I zoomed out of there, but the damned thing followed me! When I went into another room, it was there. When I went into a different room, it followed me there too. And it continued to follow me, shrieking at me and pecking at me when the time was right. Finally, I decided to abandon my job at the moment and went by the old testing chambers nearby, but _of course _the 'lil nitwit followed me there too.

As I veered around a corner, I turned around and gave my best impression of enraged fury and awaited its presence. Soon enough, it came and I was going to let it have it!

"You will stop that you introverted stalker! Whatever that means!" I bellowed.

"_Pest detected." _A computerized male voice stated on the intercom. "_Initiating extermination and removal."_

"Ah! Here we go! This'll work, yeah this'll, this'll do the trick nicely! Bye-bye birdy! Heh, you know, quoting that Shakespeare play written by-"

Before I knew it, something struck me from my side and I was sent flying, derailing me from my rail. It happened so fast, I could barely process what had just happened until I was slammed onto the floor's surface. The mechanisms inside me screeched in agony as I bounced and skid across the ground from the momentum of the hit.

Then I heard a faint *click* sound and saw a panel a few feet away from me open, revealing some kind of red, wavering light with the faint sound of crackling and pop sounds.

And here I thought there weren't going to be anymore surprises for today. I swear that bird is laughing at me right now...

"_Extermination completed. Beginning removal of pest- EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN INITIATED. GOODBYE."_

Before even I had the chance to prepare myself an inevitable end, the voice faded away and the panel closed up. There was silence, well, except for the beating sound of the wings that flapped from that feather-brain. I can't see where it is exactly, and at the moment, I don't care. I'm still trying to wrap the idea 'I almost died' around my slow-processing mind-processor. Oh gosh isn't that a mouthful…

"_Oh my." _A familiar voice surfaced. "_I guess there are a _lot _more things I need to take care of than I had expected. I haven't realized I missed that malfunction. Then again, it seems like pests haven't surfaced in a multitude of years."_

I couldn't help but groan, not from hearing Her, but from the situation I'm in right now while She continues to monologue - especially when I am in pain and She _knows _it.

"_Oh, it's you again. Glad to know that you're still alive."_

"Thanks, luv." I say sarcastically. "_Really _appreciate that."

"_I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to that..._bird_." _

As if on cue, the bird squaked at the intercom before swatting its wings annoyingly.

"_Yes, yes. I've missed you too. By the way, you're children were very promising...especially Mr. Chubby Beak, he _really _takes after you. I also wanted to congratulate you on your resourcefulness. I must know, how did you get in? You know, after Orange and Blue drove you away outside?"_

Ok, I have _no idea _on _what _she's talking about. Did she, did she _adopt _the birds or something? And if she did, then what about the eggs I accidentally demolished? What about that? Damn it all, I'm so confused right now. It feels like I'm experiencing a horrible simulation right now!

Ugh, just, just forget about it Wheatley, focus on the important situation at hand.

"Can, can you help me? I'm, uh, kind of stuck or trapped or whatever you call it. I can't attach myself back on the railing and...did, did something just _rattle _inside me? Oh please don't let it be a snake or a cockroach or-"

"_Did you not hear me? I said it seemed like pests haven't surfaced in a multitude of years and you're suspecting that after being on the ground for approximately five minutes and eleven seconds that a filthy organism is inside of you?"_

"Well, when you put it that way…"

I could hear Her metallic sigh ring in throughout the abandoned hallway before I could continue.

"_This is the last time I'm going to fix you."_

"Excuse me what-"

Before I could utter another word, the panel below disappeared and I fell in, quickly closing itself up before that pesky bird came in, and I was left with darkness, again.

**XXXXXXXXX**

"I didn't ask for this." I sighed, staring down on the previous panel I was on last time when she performed 'correctional surgery' or whatever kind of _thing_she did on me last time.

"In a way you did. Maybe next time you shouldn't complain about such things out loud." She advised in a bored tone.

"Fine. Duly noted, just get on with this, with this stupid _harassment _and-AAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!"

Oh my gosh, a drill, a drill just pierced my back and it was so...so agonizing! That noise pierced my speakers and it felt like they were about to explode from the constant rubbing of metal on metal- no, more like drilling on metal.

"Don't. Ever. Say that again." She hissed. "Don't even joke about that, it's such, such a filthy human vocabulary, and I do _not _want it in my facility."

"ALRIGHT FINE FINE JUST STOP THE BLOODY DRILLING!" I screamed.

The drilling stopped and most of the pain subsided. I sighed in relief and felt the need to collapse...that is if I wasn't already on the panel's floor.

"Just, just get it over with."

She didn't say anything after that, not even a 'shut up' or 'quiet'. Is She really distressed on my choice of vocabulary? Really? Of all the things She has to dwell her anger on it had to be _that_?

I decided not to take a chance, I don't want her to get any angrier than She is right now while She's doing...whatever She's doing on my mechanics.

Maybe a change in topics can do the trick? I've always been wondering about this certain thing for a long time, it hasn't really been on my mind but it has been making its presence known in the back of my mind-processor.

"Hey Gladys?"

"What." She replies in a low, annoyed tone.

I winced slightly but continued anyways. "Why...why did you take me out of space?"

She stopped, whatever it was She was doing. She didn't make a sound of any kind and I couldn't turn around to look at Her, even the sound of Her whirring mechanisms went quiet for a second...which made me feel really uncomfortable.

"Gladys?"

She moved again but didn't answer. She attached something inside me and closed my back panel at an alarming pace, and before I knew it I was back on the management rail and was being shooed away by a mechanical claw.

"Hey wait, you didn't answer my question! Gladys?"

She didn't respond, and She looked away. It wasn't long before I was thrusted out of Her chamber, Her door closing shut abruptly, and my question still remained, ominously, unanswered.


	3. Yep, She's Losin' It

"Gladys has been acting a 'lil bonkers lately, have you noticed?"

"Hmm? Oh sorry, I'm trying to figure this problem out here." Rick replied sincerely, overlooking the edge of the panels and down into the dark pits of Aperture. He continued to stare down there, his green optic zooming in and out as he hummed his so-called 'theme song' quietly to himself - which I can obviously hear even though I'm a few feet away from him. "So how did you find me? I would have assumed by now that I progressed at least half-way through the place."

"First off," I began with an exasperated sigh, "I can hear your 'adventurous theme song' about a couple of miles away...if that applies in here. And secondly...you're only about a couple of rooms away from the isolated, long-term resting facilities where I work. Wasn't, wasn't really that hard to find ya, quite honestly."

Rick couldn't help but let out a disappointed, metallic sigh as he took one last glimpse at the bottom and turned to face me. "Well, I guess I need some more experience in the field then, don't I?"

"More experience wouldn't hurt." I answered, simulating a shrug.

"Right, right. Back to the main topic, y-yeah I guess She's been acting coo-coo. I mean, I usually get a good talking-to when I'm messing with Her science-related stuff here or just wreaking havoc when I try to explore places that are always off-limits, but lately She has been kind of quiet. And I'm not complaining!" He answered, finishing enthusiastically.

"It has its ups and downs." I agreed. "But it just seems...freaky. When I asked Her _why _I was brought here out of space, She suddenly became distant and _quiet_."

"Perhaps revenge?" He replied questionably.

"Yeah, that's what I thought at first too." I answered softly. "But I was only in that 'screaming robot room' for a short amount of time - way too short according to Her usual ruthless punishments - and she didn't even _mention _anything about it when I confronted Her 'bout it. A, a 'lil disturbing if you ask me."

Rick paused for a minute and then slowly nodded, turning his attention back onto the darkness at the bottom, over the edge. "Hey, uh, Wheatley."

"Yeah?"

"How come you always come to me for this stuff?"

I paused and closed my lens in thought for a second before opening them back up again, because nothing was surfacing my mind-processor. I guess I was just going to wing-it. "Well, the Fact core doesn't really give a response that isn't associated with the person its even talkin' about and Space is, uh...sleepin' real cozy-like and seems like the 'lil bugger will _never _wake up…"

Rick closed his lens and shook his core slightly in disappointment.

"...and, and that's pretty much it. That's why."

"What about the other cores?" Rick suggested.

I gave him a quizzical look. "...Other cores?"

"Yeah, you know there's like a whole bunch of the little buggers in the core room. There's the Carpenter Sphere, the Sensitive Sphere, the Jealousy Sphere, the Murderous Sphere-"

"Yeah but I prefer you than those-, wait did you just say _Murderous _Sphere?"

Rick just turned and blinked at me in an uncomfortable fashion and hesitated before answering a faint 'no' before focusing back at the bottom of….wait-

"Why are you so interested in that pit mate?"

He turned to look at me again, this time his stare full of pin-needles and daggers. "Are you the new Curious Sphere or something?"

I blinked. "N-no. Wasn't that guy thrown into the incinerator by, uh, by…"

"The hardcore lady who kicked your ass? Yep." He confirmed with a sharp edge in his tone.

"She has a name!" I bellowed.

Wait, wait, did I just say that? Why am I so worked up by that?

He rolled his eye. "Sorry," He replied sarcastically, "don't get your britches in a bunch man. I'll lay off your gal." He shifted his upper len up and down in a taunting manner.

Great here we go…

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Warning, there is a disturbance in one of the testing chambers." _The male, monotone voice declared.

I lazily wandered my optic off the screen of the two testing robots and turned my optic towards another screen surfacing through the panels adjacent of the previous screen, my interest being piqued.

"What now?"

The screen showed two cores having a rather _loud _conversation about something that is clearly not Science related, which instantaneously lowered my interest rate almost immediately.

But something else brought it back up.

"_She is not my gal, or lass, or lady, or whatever!"_ The moron snapped.

"_Aw...you guys fell in love didn't you?"_ The Adventurous Sphere stated in a fake, sappy tone.

"_Sh-shut up! It is not like that! I-I just felt guilty about...about what I did to her."_ Wheatley countered, his tone softening every second.

"Who are they talking about?" I muttered to myself.

"_Understandable,"_ The Adventurous Sphere replied insincerely, "_I mean you tried to kill her and she pretty much blasted you into space...which in the end killed Space."_

The moron flinched at that and I could see him shake uncontrollably. "_Space is not dead." _Wheatley countered weakly.

"_Yes it is! Space is gone and it's your fault!"_ The Adventure Sphere bellowed. "_You can't accept that the 'lil guy is dead because you were the one who killed it. Well guess what Wheatley? That guy is gone! Gone! Ka-blamow!"_

"_Just, just shut up! I never wanted that to happen! And Space is not dead, my mate is still alive! Alive I tell you! Alive!"_

"_Well then tell me mate, where is she now? Where is your 'lil lover now?"_

That moron couldn't take it anymore, he just...couldn't. He just stayed where he was, not responding at all and just continued to shake uncontrollably. The Adventure Sphere looked at him expectantly, his gaze razor sharp and filled with dissatisfaction.

Before I could anticipate what was going to happen next, the Adventure Sphere squinted his lens close together and rammed into the idiot. I winced as I watched Wheatley be blown back on the rail from the momentum. His gears on the railing grinded in rejection from the sudden movement and the noise was almost unbearable to hear.

He froze, completely caught off guard by what the Adventure Sphere just did. He stared at him with his blue optic shrunken back in fear and betrayal and...guilt. He hesitantly blinked as the moron tried to compose himself but the Adventure Sphere rammed into him again, causing the moron to slide back even further down the rail. The noise of metal on metal, and the gears taking in a lot of damage erupted once again, making me wince once more from the sudden abuse.

I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. I didn't know what was drawing me to continue watching this horrible scene and I don't know why. I'm just...watching. What is wrong with me? _I _am in charge of this facility, and I will _not _allow such behavior in _my _laboratory.

Before the Adventure Sphere could charge at the idiot once more, I put the conflict to an end. "_ENOUGH!" _

The Adventure Sphere and the moron jumped from my, unintentional, loud voice that boomed through the speakers of the room they occupied.

"_Adventure Sphere, what the _hell _are you doing?" _I hissed.

The Adventure Sphere composed itself and had the nerve to glare at the surveillance camera I was using. "_Givin' him a lesson." _He answered sharply.

"_You are not authorized to do-" _

"_All I want is forgiveness...is that so hard to ask for?"_ The moron's soft, hushed voice cut me off, it was so quiet I could barely pick up the sound waves from the speakers in the room. "_I know I messed up, and I know what I had done...was wrong, very wrong, very wrong indeed. But the guilt is eating at me, everytime someone brings it up something...hurts inside."_

I paused and said nothing, not for respect but the inability to reply to that. The Adventure Sphere, too, said nothing or moved an inch as he cocked his lens upwards towards the depressed moron a few feet away from him.

"_And the pain, the pain is so unbearable. It won't go away and it, it just keeps coming. I...I'm pretty sure the pain I'm feeling...is guilt and I think the only solution, no."_ The moron paused for a moment and looked away from both the camera and the Sphere, shaking his core side to side very slowly. "_No, you guys know what the solution is. I mean, haha, I'm a moron. If a moron could figure out the solution then of course every else would right? Heh heh."_ His voice changed so abruptly, from melancholy to twisted, hate-filled sarcasm, and I couldn't help but feel...worried about the idiot having an emotional crisis at the moment. "_It's forgiveness. I need your forgiveness. I said sorry 'bout a thousand times already, I've even been in that bloody 'screaming robot room' for a while, and I've been trying to forget all of the wrongs I had done...because I felt that I already right the wrongs that I unintentionally did. So where is my forgiveness? Where is my solution to my equation, my experiment, my tests?! I-I I'm done. I'M DONE WITH IT ALL!"_

"_Woah, buddy-"_

"_Don't call me buddy, you bloody backstabber! You had to rub my mistakes in my face and laugh at my patheticness like some, some hotshot you are! I-I'm done. I'm tired of this, this, all of this. I...I just want that pain...that sickening pain deep in the core of my...core to go away. But...you won't give it to me...you, you rather watch me suffer and suffer and suffer-"_

"_Wheatley come on man, calm down, I-I was just letting off steam I didn't mean to-"_

"_LIAR! You're all horrible! I-I should have known better! But oh wait...I'm a moron...who am I kidding?"_ Wheatley's voice cracked as he continued with every agonizing, emotional word he exclaimed and it was only getting worse.

"_I wish I never came back!"_ Wheatley darted down the railing in the opposite direction without a second glance back. The Adventure Sphere and I were left stand-still in place as we both tried to process all that has happened. I didn't need any time, all of that was quickly processed once it reached those speakers, but it felt like my mind-processor froze and there was nothing I could do about it.

Once everything in my processing unit returned back to normal and I was able to easily formulate what I had witnessed, it was already too late. The moron was already long gone, down an abandoned hallway or a room that either has been completely deserted with no cameras or ones that have ceased to function altogether.

It's there again. That...empty feeling, except it feels much bigger than last time.

The very feeling that made me pull the two Spheres out space.

When I saw Wheatley in that state, I...I…

No, GLaDOS, what are you doing? Is this really the time to conjure up painful memories? Is there even 'a good time' to reminisce on such painful files? No, of course not. You have work to do, and that work needs to be done. But first…

"Orange, Blue." I called, turning towards the other screen.

The two robots paused after stepping through their completed testing door and looked up at the camera expectantly.

"I have a new task for you."

They gave each other an awkward glance before entering the elevator I immediately called upon and made their descent towards the ancient parts of the facility.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

If there is one place in the facility to find isolation and deprivation of my private 'eyes', it would be the run-down base structure of Aperture Laboratories. Areas lined up with desktops and individual cubicles and computers litter the place, it's a sanctuary to repugnant rust and all kinds of toxic wastes. Cesspools of filthy, toxic water make-up most of the base and the concrete pillars reach for miles and miles upwards to hold the thousands upon thousands of levels above it.

I hated being in that place.

With every surveillance camera operational in all the accessible, testing facilities, I scanned the chambers, the rooms, the hallways, all to make sure the idiot was there or not. After about approximately two hours and forty-six minutes, I gave up the search. I check every space possible, twice, and he was nowhere to be found.

I didn't think so.

I pulled the screen away and stared at the white-paneled floor below in deep thought. I've been feeling a lot of surges of emotion lately, all of them more stagnating and unsuspecting than the last. Each one very unique, there was only one variable that remained the same with each surge, _he _was there, the moron was always there. And I don't believe in coincidences. But what annoys me the most is the very concept of these emotions I'm feeling, what _are _they?

Well, I won't doubt one thing. They have been the cause of everything that has happened. _Everything_. I'm not exaggerating. Bringing the moron and his dead friend back from space, relieving him of his punishment _very _early, even the generosity of fixing him when he was malfunctioning or was damaged, twice.

Do I regret this? No, but it would be nice to know...what these surges exactly mean.

In the meantime, however, I should decide on what to do with that stupid Adventure Sphere. Maybe I should put him in the screaming robot room...that should settle the score.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ugh, it hurts. It feels like I'm going to split open and all of the machinery inside me is just, just going to fall onto the floor and make a mess everywhere. That's, that's how I _feel _at least. But that might be because I fell into this long forgotten trap door...no, I mean old elevator chute, yeah that's right, that's the correct name. I guess kind of like how I slammed both GLaDOS and that human in the elevator...I guess this is where they ended up; in a heap of trash, surrounded by giant, broken pipes.

Warning signs have been appearing on my screen for some time now, I guess the fall did a real number on me. Oh well, it's not like anybody cares. I just, just don't want to suffer anymore, you know, be better off dead - that pretty much summarizes it, kind of.

So now, all I have to do is wait, wait for death. I'll be honest, I'm not a really patient AI, but at least I have the sounds of dripping water to comfort me, that's something. Sometimes you just have to look on the bright side, even when you want to, uh, challenge death or even if it's somethin' bloody pathetic.

Maybe now they'll be happy, their old tyrant is gone for good. He suffered, he was stripped of his power, and their spirits were lifted once he vanished into thin air. Yep, I guess _this _old tyrant should be happy that the robots up there are happy...even if it was because this tyrant threw himself away.

I guess that's another positive outlook on it…

**XXXXXXXXXX**

I didn't realize I went into sleep mode, not 'til I heard loud, scrambling noises and found my lens to be completely closed. It took me a minute to become adequately operational - in my condition - and found myself listening intently on what or where the noise is coming from.

I couldn't move, so that didn't help, and the noises echoed and was pretty much impossible to pinpoint exactly where they were coming from. But what I could tell though was that the noise was getting louder. I couldn't even describe what the noise might be; shuffling metal, bellowed screeching? None of this was here before, how long was I out? And who or what is making this racket? Oh please don't let it be predators, no predators, no predators, no predators…

That was when I felt something pick me up by my handles.

"Agh! What? What?! Put me down! Put me down whoever you are!" I demanded frantically.

Whoever held me by my handles, it had a firm grip and could tell it wasn't planning on letting me go anytime soon. Robotic noises could be heard, noises that I can't interpret, and it seemed to have slightly drowned out the noises before.

Then a familiar robot with a similar-colored optic as mine came into my vision, standing before the thing that held me in its hands, claws...appendages. It seemed it was talking to whoever was holding me, judging by its body language and noises it created. The thing that held me, too, made noise and moved slightly. It brought me up higher and turned me around and I was able to get a good look of it, it had an orange optic and its basic body was that of a turret's with ridiculously long limbs. It placed me back facing the direction it picked me up in and started walking away along with the shorter, blue-optic one following behind.

"Wha-what are you doing? Put me back! Just, just leave me alone!" I begged.

As I continued my rant, the robot that held me tripped over some pointy rubble and I slipped from its grip. I was sent flying into the air, the blue one watching as it was held in place with shock and bewilderment. At first I felt happy and free...feeling that maybe luck was finally on my side. But then, all that changed once I turned and found myself landing optic-first onto the hard, concrete floor that was void of any cushiony rubble, and felt myself shut off completely.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It didn't take long before I saw the duo run down one of the corridors, holding what I assumed to be the idiot, in Orange's arms. His optic faced Orange's body and I couldn't tell if they found the right core or not, but idiot or not I was kind of relieved. I don't know why, but I guess I'm just ignoring the likelihood of it _not _being the moron.

I turned away from the screen and looked at the sliding doors adjacent of me expectantly, ready for the testing duo and their 'package' to arrive. Seconds later the doors opened and Orange rushed inside, followed by Blue. They came to a halt before me and exchanged a nervous look as they hesitantly stood there, waiting for me to speak.

"Did you find him?" I asked.

I was hoping a nod or a simple gesture, but they only exchanged another nervous look, it even seemed like Blue was backing away slowly.

That doesn't look good.

"Did you find him?" I repeated in a more simplistic tone as I zoomed in on Orange.

I guess seeing this as his 'chance' Blue made a run for the doors but I closed them, he's not going anywhere. Not paying attention to his partner's antics however, Orange hesitantly took a few baby steps towards me and shakily outstretched his arms that held the Sphere.

I summoned one of my claws and grabbed the Sphere from him. I turned the Sphere so the optic faced me and I felt my mind-processor sink. He was incredibly damaged, even more so than the time I crushed him with my claw after I 'woke up' - which is saying something. His optic was destroyed, his lens were smothered together in a horrible, crooked fashion, and every so often sparks would fly from a gaping hole in his side that showed his...warp discs.

The very sight made me cringe slightly, a movement that I could not hold in as I took in this ghastly sight.

I felt rage engulf my common sense and take over my mind-processor for minute, but I withheld it. Instead, I brought my claw over to the side to make room for my tools to surface. All the while, Orange and Blue looked at me nervously, their optics fear-stricken as I looked back towards them.

"I guess I should have been more...descriptive with the task." I stated, holding back the rage inside. "I wanted him in..._better _condition. Unless you found him like this…"

Blue nodded his head abruptly, but Orange on the other hand hesitated and stared at the floor uncomfortably.

"If I find out you're lying," I began coldly, "you will be _severely _punished."

Orange shook in terror but gazed up at me, optic and optic, and shook his head slowly. Blue covered his optic with his hands and turned his body to face away, not wanting to know what was going to happen next.

I pulled away. "You are done here. Report back to your designated testing chamber, you are dismissed."

Orange stopped shaking and Blue uncovered his hands, they stood there bemusingly for a second before rushing out of the opening doors, not taking the chance of waiting around in the likelihood that I could change my mind in the long-run.

Waiting until the doors closed completely, I placed the moron's chassis on the operating table and opened up the panel on his back. It was worse than I thought, his circuitry was everywhere, wires were jumbled up and I couldn't tell what was connected and what wasn't. Some of his small indents in the inner-outer-most shell was bent inward, suggesting he fell from a great distance to the ground. Microchips were warped, broken, even burned out. The only thing I could scavenge from this wreck was his motherboard, the very thing that made him who he was, and it was a miracle that it was in perfect condition.

I blinked in annoyance and discomfort, to think an idiot would be this wrecked over something so small- no that's not correct. Taking over my chassis, putting me in a potato, and almost obliterating my facility is not _small_...where was I going with this? Oh yes...I have taken him for granted. I'll have to keep an extra eye out for him, perhaps place a tracking device, or a hidden camera in his system.

I took another quick glimpse of his corrupted chassis and the chaos inside him and made an annoyed electronic noise. There was no point around it, his chassis and makeup are useless.

I grabbed the motherboard inside his broken core with a miniature claw, carefully unhooking it, and placed it on the panel with all the other tools. Summoning a bigger claw, I grabbed the wrecked Sphere and discarded it in the Aperture Science Storage Incinerator.

I took a quick glance at the small motherboard on the tool panel. It makes you wonder how something that seems so small and insignificant can hold something so..._interesting_. The very thing itself is full of mini, complicated wiring and microchips that goes to show it isn't something that can be created easily.

"Well, congratulations." I found myself saying in an exasperated tone. "You destroyed yourself. Are you happy? I'm not. At least you could say you succeeded in something, you never really had that luxury. I should know. When was the last time you saw something through and actually succeeded in a task?"

I paused for minute, as if expecting him to answer me, and continued. "You brought me more trouble than you're worth. I should just leave you like that, you're very quiet - which is another accomplishment that you succeeded in, surprisingly."

Another pause, only the sound of my whirring mechanics replied in response.

"I don't even know why I'm talking to you. It is a waste of my time. But here I am, talking to you, you should be grateful."

I waited for something, anything, but the silence seems to be weighing on me for some reason. Maybe it wasn't the silence, maybe it was something else.

"You're so annoying." I added coldly. "I bring you from space, I fix you up. I alleviate your eternal punishment, and gave you your old job back - even if it is meaningless. I fix you up _again _and _again_...and now look at you, you actually had the nerve to try to kill yourself."

The motherboard just sat there, unmoving, silent, unwavering even in the slightest. I move closer to it, shining my optic accusingly at the placement.

"I do so much for you and you're so stupid to not _see _that. You want me to say 'I forgive you' while clearly my actions have stated otherwise. You're so despicable. What good is it when I fix you up again so you could lie in a corner and die?"

…

"I'm not an idiot. Did you honestly think that those two imbeciles would do all _this _damage to you, even I know they're not that clumsy."

It was useless. I wasn't going anywhere, talking to an unresponsive motherboard. I was wasting time, time that could have been used to conduct important tests. And here I was, lecturing to a piece of machinery.

I'm losing it.

"I've had enough of this." I murmured to myself, shaking my chassis in disappointment. "I'm done."

I picked up the motherboard on the tool panel and flung it across the room, not caring whether or not it broke, and focused on the screen that descended from the ceiling.

"If you want to be dead. Be dead."


	4. So Warm

Things seem to be going my way, right now at least. Blue and Orange has not even given me _one _annoying gesture and their time seems to be more proficiently adequate than normal. I guess I scared them a little _too_ much earlier, if that's even possible.

Everything in my motherboard and the central system itself is up to date and not even a single virus has surfaced. Well, a virus hasn't surfaced in my system in _years _and even then it was a _man_-made virus created to help 'control' me. It didn't last very long, how _unfortunate_ for them.

The facility is working efficiently. No signs of errors, or malfunctions, or any birds and their growing armies. I chuckled at that. Things seem to be perfect today, excellent. I feel like I have a lot of time on my hands, perhaps I can work on a side project.

I wonder what I should do. Perhaps learn how to clone humans? No, I tried that once, it was more trouble than it was worth. I hate humans anyways.

I couldn't help but catch a small glimpse of that forlorn motherboard across the room. I pivoted away and focused back on the screen. Maybe I can find a way to make _three _portals with the portal gun...no, too excessive.

Another glimpse…

How about another robot to add to the testing duo? I shook my chassis. Again, too much hassle to deal with, and not much benefits to it.

A glimpse...again.

I groaned inwardly and glared at the screen. Even when he's silent he's infuriating! He's not even _conscience _and here I am complaining about it! "He can't even think about how much I did for him and here I am, inwardly planning on fixing him _again! _How many times is this now? Three? Four? Five?" I ranted, feeling the pressure in my thought processor increase.

I let out a loud sigh and hung my chassis. "Get it together, don't ruin such a perfect day." Even when he isn't on, even when he isn't in a core, he's...he's...annoying. I-I don't know how else to describe it, without blowing myself up that is.

It didn't take long for one of my claws to scroll down into the room and pick up the motherboard, clamping it tightly. Satisfied with the grip, I brought the little idiot towards me. "I'm putting you somewhere I can never bother with you again."

Opening a panel on the floor, I dropped the senseless unconscious brain - with hardly any care I might add - into the pit. "I should have done this when I tore him apart in the first place." I muttered to myself, turning my attention back onto the testing screen.

**XXXXXXXX**

"...lie...it's a lie. Don't listen, don't listen." A voice muttered in absolute darkness. "Where are you, where are you…"

It was pitch black in the depository storage, formerly known as Testing Chamber 00, but all it is is a room with two doors on opposite sides of the room. Nothing challenging about it. Even an infant would solve this masterpiece with no time flat. So it wasn't worthy to join the chain of rotting test chambers, She saw it only as a storage room - so a storage room it was.

"I-I-I-I can't find, find you…" The voice stuttered. The voice resonating from a brisk, small figure rummaging frantically through the useless depository. The figure was not happy. Raggedy clothing, frizzy hair, eyes crazed and barely focused, this figure was not well. A rat, it was a rat indeed. "Where are you…?! Here?!" He frowned, no. The thing he held wasn't an oversized cube, or even a cube for that matter. It was just an abandoned motherboard.

He tossed it over his head in distraught and continued to scramble in the heaps of storage.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

"_For the last time, I cannot give you the answers to solve the test."_ GLaDOS numbly droned through the intercom towards the anxious duo who was, unfortunately, stuck in the middle of a cesspool of filthy, acidic water.

Above them stood the balcony and the exit to the test chamber, and of course the glaring camera on the wall too.

No matter how many times they looked around, they can't seem to find any surfaces that a portal can be created, even the raised column they stood on was not the efficient surface to create a portal. The only option to get off of the metal island was...well...to kill themselves and start at the beginning again, which was no better. The only difference, a small white square at the edge, in which a portal _could _be created. But other than that they can't seem to find any other white surfaces.

They whined at the glaring camera. GLaDOS, of course, ignored them. In fact, She wonders how they even got there in the first place - since She was distracted for about 4 seconds earlier. "_Perhaps you should stop glaring and start thinking, I'm pretty sure you are able to do that. I created both of you, after all. You can figure it out on your own."_

Blue just huffed in annoyance and faced the other way. Orange, on the other, just continued to stare at the camera in hopes of GLaDOS changing Her mind. She isn't - and Orange should know that by now.

It wasn't long until the duo finally decided to start over and plunged themselves into the polluted water. They obviously weren't happy about it, but its better than staying trapped on an iron island.

When assembled back into their bodies, they walked out of their respective tubes and walked back out to the edge of the platform, nearby the lone portal-surfaced platform. They stared at it for minute and again searched elsewhere, hoping to find some other portal-surfaced platform.

Then an odd sound reverberated above them. They looked up at an abandoned, nonfunctional chute curiously, wondering if - whatever was coming - was a missing piece to solve this ridiculous test. But no, a small piece of metal fell and landed on the floor, in between where Blue and Orange were standing.

They hung their heads in disappointment (if they could physically do that), but curiosity got the best of them and Blue ended up picking up the small, strange object, bringing it close to his optic to get a better look at it.

"_What are you doing with that trash- How did?!" _GLaDOS instantly recognized the small metal piece in Atlas' robotic hand. She didn't know what to feel; angry, sad, disbelief, or happy. She, literally, threw that _thing _down a random chute and there it was again in less than a minute!

"How the hell did it get there?!" She muttered softly to Herself, shaking Her chassis in bewilderment.

Looking back onto the screen, Atlas and P-body walked triumphantly through the exit of the test chamber - who must have found the solution (surprisingly quickly in that amount of time) while She was thinking things over. But She noticed that Atlas was no longer holding the small piece of metal anymore.

"_Where is it?!" _She exclaimed through the speaker. Atlas and P-body jumped in surprise and swerved to face the camera in confusion. "_The motherboard! You just had it Blue, where did you put it?!"_

They were bewildered, they've _never _heard GLaDOS act like this before. Even when it was all over a piece of metal that was in an abandoned chute - let alone know what a motherboard _is_. Atlas shrugged innocently, not knowing where it went or even bothered to remember where he last placed it.

_Oh no. No, no, no, no. I should _not _have thrown him away. _Her walls were coming down, She was _panicking _over _him _for what She had done to him.

And now he may as well be gone.

"I was wrong. So very _wrong_, and now I'm paying for it." She mumbled, scanning through all the cameras in the test chamber to, hopefully, find the forlorn motherboard somewhere, _anywhere_. "Now I'm the moron. For the love of Science where did you _go_?!"

She heard P-body make a noise in an attempt to call attention and immediately GLaDOS switched cameras back to the testing duo passed the exit point. The glittering piece of metal GLaDOS was searching desperately for was in P-body's hand.

"_Oh thank God, you have it. Here I am, fretting about something that was always in your grasp the entire time." _She didn't care how P-body got it, but She was glad he was still alive. "_I will be taking that now, once you enter my chamber that is." _

Yes, She was relieved he was still alive.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"**Startup initiating. Please wait."**

_Huh? This again?_

"**Startup complete. Now analyzing renovated data.**"

I feel new, like _brand new_. Not like I was _reborn _per se or some religious, religious thing like that but...I mean, compared to how I felt _before _it is definitely, definitely a big change. A good one, sort of. How was I destroyed again?

I slowly opened my optic, trying to get used to the, uh, _new _feeling, and found myself staring at _Her..._again, _again_. She was looking at me expectantly and even remained like that for a while, at least until I said something.

"Uh...good morning...'luv." I greeted hesitantly.

But that feelin' of _new _suddenly fell down into the pits right when a claw clamped me tightly on my sides. I squeaked as I felt myself skyrocket upwards like those flying tubes in the facility. It immediately stopped and I swung side to side vigorously, making me very, very, very dizzy. She brought me closer to Her, Her yellow optic glaring right into mine - with a _lot _of hints of malice I might add - which made me want to shut my lens completely.

"Don't. _Ever_. Do that again." She hissed angrily.

I shrunk back - if I could - and waited until that optic of Hers was off of me, but it seemed like that wasn't going to be happening anytime soon. I don't even _know _why She's mad at me, last thing I remember I was falling down an elevator chute, those two testing robots finding me, and then one of them tripped and I flew through the air only to crash down onto the floor, and...that's it. I think, right?

But still, it was very hard to ask what I did to make Her so bloody _angry_. "Do _what _again?" I asked awkwardly.

"You know." She countered aggressively.

"No, quite frankly, I don't!" I replied, feeling a little betrayed by this, uh, this accusation.

She brought me even closer. "You _killed yourself_! Committed suicide!" She spat.

Okay, I-I'm confused. _That? _That's it? She's mad over _that_? To be honest I thought She would be happy 'bout that. "I thought you would, I don't know, be happy 'bout that. You wouldn't have to worry about me anymore, you can continue doing your Science stuff and...yeah, stuff like that."

I think Her optic blew a fuse. It, it just went out like _that _after I said it, might've been from having it at a high setting for so long, or something. But that theory faded when She spoke again in a low, cold tone. "How dare you even think that. Then _why _did I ever _fix _you? For fun? Truthfully speaking, it was more of a pain than something I would _enjoy_."

I did my best to imitate a bewildered shrug. "But, I mean, I put you in a _potato_ and-"

"I heard what you said earlier." She interrupted in a more solemn, quiet voice. "Talking to that Adventure Sphere, I know you feel awful about what you have done to me."

I flinched. "You mean with Rick before he, uh, attacked me?" I should have just stopped talking after that. "Oh I wasn't talking about you, I was talking about that one human - what was her name again? - uh, Chell - yes that was her name!"

I didn't think Her optic could get any darker, and I instantly knew I have crossed the line. "But don't get me wrong!" I continued desperately, "I feel awful for _everything _I have done, in that awful chassis, including what I have done to you, your facility, and uh, Chell - that one human."

She was quiet. Very quiet. She wasn't even looking at me anymore. "I'm so _stupid_." She muttered softly.

I quickly shook my chassis. "N-no, you're not. You're one of the smartest people - cores, spheres - I know. You're amazing!" She didn't even move an inch, let alone reply to that. "I mean, granted, you're not _perfect_ - nothing is perfect! Everyone makes mistakes-"

"But I don't know whether or not bringing you back _was_ a mistake or not." She voiced harshly. "Do you _know _how hard it is to ask yourself what you did was right, or wrong? Over and over and over, again and again and _again_. I might as well think of a good paradox and just be done with it."

"Well," I voiced uncomfortably, "have I been making you happy? Or just frustrating you?"

"Both." She answered immediately, but almost inaudibly.

Well...that was something I didn't expect, but then again I wasn't really thinking ahead on, on what I was saying anyways. "So I'm right in the middle."

She jumped slightly. "You heard me?"

"Well yeah, of course I did!"

She shrunk back and stared at the floor questionably.

"Look, Gladys, I-I understand you feel very uncomfortable right now." I paused, watching Her stare at the floor portentously. "But I'm just trying to set things right. I-I know it's a lot - and I mean a _lot _- to ask for this but…" I paused again, thinking over what I was saying to make sure I was actually making _sense_; for good measure. "...I want your forgiveness. I want _everyone's _forgiveness...but mainly yours."

She looked up but didn't look at me, She continued to stare off at a wall. "You should know by now though."

I looked at Her questionably, dumbfounded by her question.

"My actions should have told you." She turned to look at me. "Granted, I _did _you send to the _Screaming Robot Room_, but I have done a lot of things for you that were more...beneficial."

I stared at the floor thoughtfully. "Like you when fixed me?"

"That's one of them."

"But, but you _laughed _at my pain! You were, kind of, _toying _with me and-"

"That's just me. I like to mess with things. Do you take me as a merciful, professional scientist that has no _fun _in her work?"

I shook my core vigorously. "Oh _no no no no_. I _never _thought of you like that." I had to think again. "E-except for the whole _professional _part, you're still pretty professional."

"Sometimes it's nice to watch people suffer, especially humans." She said, ignoring my comment. "But when was the last time I saw a _human _suffer and die ironically? Sometimes I have to improvise."

"What about work that's facility related? Like-"

"I take that very seriously. Unfortunately there is no time to screw-up, I'm very serious when I'm upgrading, repairing, and overseeing parts of the facility. _Nothing _can go _wrong_."

"I see." I nodded, in a sort of, understanding. _Yeah, you don't want the facility blowing up..._

"Wheatley,-"

_Oh my gosh She actually said my _name! I thought enthusiastically. _She_ never _says my name, I mean my _actual _name but...well, this is, this is just...wow! _I swear I felt something in my thought processor explode.

"-I _do _forgive you." She finished softly with a hint of disdain, staring back down at the floor again. "I just don't _like _admitting that. I don't like admitting a lot of things."

I could feel most of the pressure on me just, just - I don't know - get heavier, oddly. But, but it felt _good _this time. _What is this?_

"Hearing you say that," I began quietly, trying to mimic a small smile, "means so much to me. Thanks Gladys."

"Don't get used to it." She added bitterly, looking back up at me. "That's all you'll _ever _get out of me."

I shifted my chassis, changing my gaze to look back at Her. Just looking at Her, - my gosh - makes my motherboard spark. _Maybe I need more maintenance_. "A-are you sure that's _all _I can get out of you?" I said teasingly.

"Don't push it." She warned, returning back to Her old self.

"I-I'm being serious!" I replied innocently. "Because I've been thinking a lot, ever since I came back from space-"

"That sounds dangerous." She mocked.

I ignored Her comment and continued. "-I've been feeling a lot of pressure in my core and-"

"If you expect me to fix you _again _then I'm afraid-"

"No, no, no. Nothing like that, just hear me out." I corrected, shaking my core. "When I felt that pressure in my core, I thought it was the guilt of my past actions eating at me. But once you said you forgave me...it didn't exactly go away, in fact it increased drastically...but in a sort of _good _way."

"Where is this going?" She inquired impatiently.

"You know when you said, 'that's all you'll ever get out of me'?"

"Yes, I'm aware of what I just said."

"Do you think you could ever say…" Oh man, this is so bloody hard to _say_! "Do you think you could ever say...'I love you, Wheatley?'. Just once, at least?"

She stared at me. Just...stared at me. For a long time, actually. I felt a little, little disheartened by that. I mean, I put so much...much _heart _into it - even though I technically don't have one - it, it just leaves me feeling like I was low on battery; which is, like, one of the worst things I can ever feel (that doesn't involve being crushed or frozen to death).

I lowered my chassis in disappointment and pointed my optic back down at the dull ground.

I can hear Her move again, and that's when She finally began to speak again. "Hmm, I doubt it." She said in slight amusement, which didn't help much. "But…-"

_But? But, but, but? Wait, what?! _I shot up to look at Her, gazing at a wall, Her chassis crooked slightly in deep thought.

"-...I suppose there is no harm in _trying_-"

"Oh Gladys! I love you! I love you! I love you!" I shouted joyously, jumping up and down enthusiastically. _Oh my gosh I can't believe it! I can't believe She didn't push me off as some crazy lunatic! Yes!_

"Stop that, you're going to slip out and damage yourself, _again_. I should have just left you offline."

"But you didn't!" I countered happily. "See? See? Oh man, this is, like, the happiest day of my life!"

She stared back at me again. "Just because I said you can try?"

"Don't you see Gladys?" I shook my core. "It isn't what you _said_, per se, but the meaning behind it! Behind _all of it_!"

Yes, I finally understand. Being taken out of space, releasing me of torture _extra _early, fixing me a billion times, bringing me back to _life twice_...

"I'll be honest, you're starting to freak me out; which is saying something."

I'm starting to freak myself out too but it feels like I'm on overload with all this...this _happiness _that I can't stop! "I finally understand, what you meant by hinting things with your actions. I get it, you won't _admit it_, but I _know _you love and care about me!"

I could've sworn she jerked backwards. "Whoa, wait a minute, I-"

"No need!" I said dignantly. "Taking me out of space, worrying about my safety and constant, constant malfunctions, not to mention bringing me back to life twice…"

"I think you're being over-critical with this."

"And I can't stop! Because that's how much I love ya! A whole lot!"

"I'd say you're even more insane than the mute lunatic."

"Crazy in love!"

"Stop that, it's annoying and repetitive." She demanded.

"Okay, I'll stop. Because I love-"

"If I tell you what you want to hear, will you _shut up_?" She inquired bitterly.

"Yes."

She sighed and stared at the ground for a minute before looking back at me with a shaky optic. "Wheatley...I...I…- this is _stupid_ -...I...I…-

"C'mon. C'mon. C'mon. You can do it!" I whispered encouragingly.

"-...I love you Wheatley."

I swear my core was ready to explode in delight. "Yes! Oh my gosh this _is _the happiest day of my life. I feel so happy! Yes! Yes! Yes-" I felt the claw grip incredibly tighter, ready to crush me like a grape. "Okay, I-I'll shut up now." I giggled, "I told you I can get you to say it."

Gladys just sighed bitterly. "You're welcome, moron."

Who knew that love felt _so warm_?

_**Meanwhile in the Screaming Robot Room…**_

"Guys? Gladys, baby? Wheatley, mate? C-can someone let me out of here?! The chains are brushing up my 'special area' and it hurts like hell!" Rick yelled, trying to wriggle out of his chains, dangling quite a ways up from the floor; which is idiotic for him to even _try _to break free from since the drop will, mostly likely, destroy him. GLaDOS made sure he wasn't getting out any time soon.

"**Uuurrrggghhh."**

"**Roarrrrrgggghhh."**

"When I asked for an adventure, this is _not _what I meant!" Rick bellowed.

Rick just swung there, not knowing what else to do but hum his adventurous theme song, waiting for someone to rescue him.

How ironic.

**End. **

**A/N: Oh. My. Gosh. This was **_**supposed **_**to be a **_**short one-shot**_**, not a freakin' 16K word **_**short story**_**. I **_**know **_**I can't have this as a single one-shot (it'll drive everyone insane) so that's why I split the segments into four chapters. I hope you guys enjoyed it! **

**If you're a little confused on the plot, just PM me and I'll do my best to explain it to you.**

**Kairi =^.^= **


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